New study: five-second rule not a myth

We’ve all heard of the five-second. We’ve all probably followed it at least once. Here’s some good news: a new study shows the five-second rule is actually real...at least to a certain extent.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) -

We’ve all heard of the five-second rule. We’ve all probably followed it at least once. Here’s some good news: a new study shows the five-second rule is actually real, at least to a certain extent.

According to a recent study out of England, the five-second rule isn’t as fake as we thought. However, the data shows the amount of germs you’d be eating also depends on the type of surface on which your food falls. According to the findings, carpet poses the lowest risk of bacterial transfer onto dropped food and indoor flooring surfaces pose the greatest risk.

Teachers at the University School For Young Children say their kids hear one phrase a lot during mealtime.

“If it hits the floor, leave it there,” Megan St. John said. “We will throw it in the trash can."

The kids aren’t familiar with the five-second rule.

"You throw it in the trash can and you never eat it again,” said five-year-old Lillianna Dubs.

"Put it in the trash,” said four-year-old Alex Ewasko.

“If you don't you'll get sick,” said five-year-old Eva Kilburn.

St. John said regardless of the new study, she isn’t risking it in her classroom.

"If they have it in their mouth, I would probably even say, ‘You know, we should probably spit that out, it's been on the floor.’ If they've already swallowed it, I'll remind them ‘Let's not eat food off the floor, the floor is dirty, we don't want to pick up more germs than we already have,’” St. John said.

She said that lesson comes along with other mealtime rules.

“When they are more careful at the table, food is less likely to fall, hit the floor, those kinds of things. If it does, we tell them just leave it there we can throw it in the trash can, we aren't going to eat food off the floor,” St. John said.

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